1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wafer polishing device and method for polishing the outer circumferential end-edge of a wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the semiconductor device manufacturing step, a front-surface condition of an outer circumferential end-edge portion (a chamfered portion of an end) called a bevel portion attracts attention in view of an improvement in yield. This is because unnecessary materials, damage, etc. left on the bevel portion fall away and adhere to the device front surface during undergoing various steps, which exerts a harmful influence on product yields.
Because of this, it have been proposed in recent years that polishing processing is performed on the bevel portion of a wafer as a sub-step of a semiconductor device manufacturing step to suppress the occurrence of foreign matter from the bevel portion. See e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-345294.
As the polishing processing on the bevel portion of a wafer, a method is known of performing polishing processing on the bevel portion of a wafer using a belt-like (tape-like) abrasive film fixedly attached with abrasive grains. See Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-163188.